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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28903110">Foundations</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spoon888/pseuds/Spoon888'>Spoon888</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Transformers (IDW Generation One)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Canon-Typical Violence, Dysfunctional Relationships, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-Transformers: Lost Light 25, Starscream Breaks Megatron Out Of Prison AU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:34:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,176</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28903110</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spoon888/pseuds/Spoon888</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Megatron woke up. </p><p>And it was strange that he did. When they had connected his processor and spark to the mobius generator (two cables out, four cables in) he had taken one last look at Magnus's watery optics and closed his own for what he had thought would be forever. </p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>implied Megatron/Starscream</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>167</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Foundations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissDoodle/gifts">MissDoodle</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was written as a one-off 'What If' fic, but it kept growing and I wrote an additional 3000 words for it. </p><p>Depending on how well I can clean that up and make a cohesive story with an actual ending out of it, there may be more to come... if you're interested in angst with a happy-ending AUs? </p><p>In which case, this'll just be the prologue.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Megatron woke up. </p><p>And it was strange that he did. When they had connected his processor and spark to the mobius generator (two cables out, four cables in) he had taken one last look at Magnus's watery optics and closed his own for what he had thought would be forever. </p><p>But they were blinking back online now, lines of static distorting the colourless steel ceiling above. One thunderously deep breath filled his vents with a rush of fresh air, blowing away dust and cobwebs. </p><p>He felt suspended in time. Numb. Muffled. </p><p>-Until something was ripped forcibly from his side. The sharp tug and then sting of wires snapping brought a sudden clarity to his world. The feeling rushed back to his frame and every inch of it <em>ached</em> from disuse. He threw his head back with a roar of pain but all sound was lost to the sudden scream of alarms. </p><p>A tsunami of sensations crashed over him. Flashing lights. Deafening whoops. Hands, small but strong, pulled on his bicep hard enough to strain the joint. He lurched with the movement and found himself staring at the most unlikely of mechs. Starscream. </p><p>Starscream <em>yelling</em> at him. </p><p>The irony wasn't lost on Megatron, waking with all Hell breaking loose and Starscream in the middle of it, but he couldn't hear a damn word. The pitch of the seeker's voice, as impressive as it was, couldn't compete with the wailing sirens and droning recorded message warning of a high-security breach, in cell one-one-three. </p><p>One-one-three. Megatron's optics tracked past Starscream and focused on the number stamped to the bulkhead behind him. It was him. He was the breach. </p><p>He pulled against Starscream, his firm bark of '<em>no</em>' lost among the racket. It had never been a word that had much effect on Starscream anyway. (Especially from him). </p><p>The plating on the back of Starscream's hand folded back and transformed into the barrel of a weapon. That was new. </p><p>He became familiar with it quite quickly though as it was impatiently jabbed under his chin. He felt the heat of it's building charge against his throat tubing.</p><p>Instinct tensed his frame but learnt restraint meant he hesitated before following his usual practice of swinging punches. He wasn't that mech anymore. He-</p><p>"-<em>move</em>, dolt!" Starscream braced a <em>foot</em> against his hip and shoved him towards the edge of the berth. Megatron swung his legs down before toppling over it, but found his limbs lacked a measure of their usual strength. His HUD warned him against exerting energy before his systems fully rebooted, and it began to dawn on him then, how long he must have been asleep. </p><p>There was no time to contemplate the passage of time. The stampede of marching pedes was thundering up the corridor, snaps and clicks of weapons being taken off safety. Starscream pushed him into the corner, flattening himself against the wall next to him. There was a pause. Sudden silence. Megatron dared not breathe. </p><p>The muzzle of a blaster extended into the cell through the open doorway. Megatron tensed, but Starscream waited until the arm holding it followed to grab the wrist and shoot the elbow joint. The blaster dropped with a clatter and the guard's scream cut off sharply when Stacsream shoved his fist under their chin and shot them through the helm a half-beat later. The ceiling splattered pink. </p><p>Starscream let the guard drop to the floor, casually kicking the discarded blaster aside as he stuck his helm around the corner.</p><p>It skittered across the floor and bounced off Megatron's pede. He stared at it.</p><p>"Pick it up!" Starscream threw at him, and jumped out into the corridor. </p><p>Dozens of weapons were discharging an instant later, exploding against the walls and filling the corridor with smoke. Megatron snatched up the blaster hastily, flicking the safety back on and holding it by it's barrel as he rushed to the cell door and poked his helm out. </p><p>"Starscream?!" </p><p>The shooting stopped. He couldn't see anything through the dark and the smoke. The lights were flashing red and the cells lining the walls were sealed and locked down. As the smoke cleared he saw the first of the bodies. Dread filled him when he spied the wings on their back. </p><p>He rushed forward, but the wings were dark, the wrong shape-</p><p>"Amateurs."</p><p>Starscream was a little way further up the corridor, rising out of a crouch. Megatron sucked in a sharp breath, spark hammering in his chest. "Starscream," he breathed. </p><p>The seeker's optics snapped towards him. There was no affection in his gaze. He wiped the back of his hand across his cheek, glaring through the wispy air. "Obviously." </p><p>Megatron's tongue was heavy and clumsy with disuse. "...What are you doing here?"</p><p>"Honestly, Megatron, haven't I broken you out of prison enough times for you to know what it looks like by now?" Starscream went to roll his optics, but they widened when he saw how Megatron was holding the blaster. </p><p>He pointed angrily, "Why is the <em>safety</em> on?! How are you going to kill anyone if you're taking sissy shots?!" </p><p>Megatron looked at the weapon, tanks rolling at the specks on energon covering the barrel. He opened his fist and let it drop to the floor.</p><p>"You shouldn't have come here." He said, fighting mounting anger. "These mechs didn't have to die-"</p><p>"Yes they did. They weren't just going to let me walk you out of here," Starscream smiled unkindly. "Pick that up and get a grip. We're running out of time."</p><p>Megatron planted his pedes, "I'm not coming with you." </p><p>Starscream stared. His expression was unreadable, and not just from the smoke filling the corridor. There was a sound deeper within the ship, the groan of cables bearing weight as elevators approached the high security level, bringing with them more guards. </p><p>Starscream lifted his arm and pointed his weapon at Megatron. </p><p>"I'm not asking." </p><p>"Then you'll have to shoot," Megatron said firmly. "If you run now you might make it to the hanger before they lock it down-"</p><p>"I didn't come all this way to leave alone," Starscream hissed, optics wild. The arm he was extending towards Megatron had begun to shake. "I am leaving this pit-forsaken ship with you or not at all. And trust me, if you force me to stay I won't go down easy and I <em>won't</em> go down alone." </p><p>Megatron felt something lodge in his throat, "You always were one for needless dramatics-"</p><p>"Do you want more deaths on your hands?" Starscream demanded, optics darting towards the elevators behind Megatron. "Do you?!" </p><p>Megatron had never had any intention of escaping his punishment. Never had any intention of leaving this prison ship. </p><p>But Starscream was insisting. </p><p>He moved towards the seeker but left the blaster behind. "Fine. You win, Starscream. I'll come, and you won't kill anyone else." </p><p>"Present company excluded," Starscream spat, sagging in visible relief. He shook his head in disgust. "You're a fucking embarrassment." </p><p>Megatron somehow found it in him to smile, "I've missed you too." </p><p>"Urgh." </p>
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